Mike's and Ana's Wedding

Below is the column that appeared in my church buletin.

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Today I attended Mike and Ana’s wedding. Many of you were there to congratulate Mike and Ana on their wedding and to celebrate the joyful occasion with them. They looked great. I gave them my best blessing. It was great to see them enter into a covenant of holy matrimony with the pledge to stick together “until death do them apart.” It was a reminder of the pledge I made 11 years ago. I understand some of you have been married longer than my wife and I. I thank God for your faithfulness to God and to your spouses.

With Mike and Ana newly married and added to the ranks of married couples, I’d like to ask our seasoned and still-learning married couples to extend their hands of special encouragement and care to the newly wedded couple. Marriage is a tough thing. It is a union of two different individuals with two different perspectives, backgrounds, beliefs, cultures, and lifestyles. It is a rendezvous of two worlds. People who never lived together now begin to live together. So it is expected there will be difficulties, challenges, and arguments. I can tell you those moments when I raised my voice, when I felt disappointed at myself, and when I cried because of lack of maturity and love on my part. I am aware that mutual effort has to be made for the couple to become more intimate, understanding, and loving. Pain always precedes growth and maturity. Couples who enjoy longevity of marriage are the ones who have learned how to stay connected with each other even when problems arise.

I have a long way to go in my marriage to help my wife to be the person God created her to be. I remember one pastor talking about the role of men in helping their spouses blossom. He said, “Men are the props and women are the vines that climb up the props and blossom on their top.” For men sometimes it is unthinkable to let the vines climb the props or let them stay on top. Although it is hard, it is us men’s responsibility to empower our wives to blossom with their gifts and potential. As Mike and Ana entered into the covenant, let us, married couples, rededicate ourselves to one another. Moreover, let us also recommit ourselves to our Eternal Bridegroom, our Lord Jesus Christ, in our walk with Him. I long for the day when our Eternal Bridegroom will welcome us into heaven for a life eternal.

After attending Lead like Jesus Seminar

Whoever wants to become Great among you must be your Servant. (Matthew 20:26).

Speakers included Ken Blanchard, Erwin Raphael McManus, Margie Blanchard, Rosey Grier, Phyllis Hendry, Phil Hodges, Laurie Beth Jones, Patrick Lencioni, John Ortberg, Nancy Ortberg, and Pill Polard, and the worship leader was Eric Lovett.


Last Friday on Oct. 19 I attended Lead Like Jesus Conference held in Walnut Creek. The church was the live site for the simulcast for many places in the States, Canada, and Jamaica. The conference site was packed out and people were very receptive to the messages. I was somewhat familiar with the concepts and ideas they championed because I had read the book Lead Like Jesus authored by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges before I attended the conference.

I just wanted to share a few thoughts I had while attending the conference. First and foremost, I was reminded that leadership (influence) is on loan. Namely, there is a season of influence. It’s not something we will possess forever because no one is irreplaceable. I thought about the influence I have on our congregation, my family, friends, relatives, and neighbors. I pray God would empower me to empower people around me to be the leaders and winners they need to become in Christ.

John Ortberg said something that's very important. He said, "We can be intentional about our habits. Thomas Aquinas spent 70 pages of his book Imitation of Christ to habits. There’s a difference between trying to be like Jesus and training to be like Jesus. I arrange my life around habits that enable me to do what I can’t do right now." How true!

Toward the end of the conference “Ken demonstrated servant leadership when he stooped to wipe his co-host's shoes with a small white shoe mitt. Attendees then bent down to find mitts beneath their own pews and followed suit. They exchanged hugs before each moved on to another person.” I liked the idea of using the mitt to wipe other people’s shoes, although Jesus washed the feet of his disciples with water. It was symbolic enough of Jesus’ foot washing. Leading like Jesus is servant leadership, not self-serving leadership. The best example is Jesus coming down to earth to give his life as a ransom for many. He clearly mentioned, “I came not to be served but to serve.” Servant leadership was another reminder of what kind of leadership I need to exercise.

Lead like Jesus involves Heart, Head, Hands, and Habits. It is through our hands and habits what happens on the inside manifests itself. I need to take an inventory of my existing habits and see which habits I need to discard and which new habits I need to form in order to lead like Jesus at church, at home, and in the world. Please forgive me when I make mistakes, with the hope that I am a leader training to be like Jesus. I hope that you would join me in that training to lead like Jesus and to live like Jesus.

Moses Received His First Award

Moses received his first award at Ponderosa. Ever since we came to California, Moses adapted to the new environment really well. He excelled in his studies and finally proved himself able to receive awards. The top picture shows those four award recipients from Moses class.

The one in the middle shows all the second graders who received their awards in different areas such as math, reading, penmanship, citizenship, and so forth. Moses received his award in math.

The bottom shot shows Moses and Alex one of his best friends. Good job, Moses! I'm very proud of you. Remember the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge.